{{Short description|American basketball player and coach}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox college coach | name = John Longfellow | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1901|09|20}} | birth_place = Leesburg, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1977|11|08|1901|9|20}} | death_place = Elkhart, Indiana, U.S. | alma_mater = Manchester | player_years1 = | player_team1 = Manchester Spartans | player_positions = | coach_years1 = 1922–1924 | coach_team1 = Leesburg HS | coach_years2 = 1924–1928 | coach_team2 = Nappannee HS | coach_years3 = 1928–1929 | coach_team3 = Hartford City HS | coach_years4 = 1929–1948 | coach_team4 = Elkhart HS | coach_years5 = 1948–1954 | coach_team5 = Indiana State | overall_record = 122–64 (college) | bowl_record = | tournament_record = 16-3 | championships = 1949 Mid-West Tournament<br />1950 NAIA State (Indiana) Title<br />'''1950 NAIA National Title'''<br />'''1951 Pan-American Games Gold Medal'''<br />1952 NAIA Regional Title<br />1953 NAIA District 21 Title<br />1954 NAIA District 21 Title | awards = NAIA Hall of Fame (1960)<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nXYqAAAAMAAJ&q=john+l+longfellow+terre+haute+indiana&pg=RA4-PA57 |title = JOHPER: Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation|year = 1960}}</ref><br/>Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame (1967)<br/>Indiana State University Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoopshall.com/hall-of-fame/john-l.-longfellow/?back=HallofFame2|title=John L. Longfellow - Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame}}</ref> (1984) | coaching_records = }} '''John Landis Longfellow''' (September 20, 1901 – November 8, 1977) was an American basketball coach and player. He is best known as the National Title-winning head men's basketball coach at Indiana State University, as well as leading the USA National Team to a gold medal in the 1951 Pan-Am Games.

Born in Warsaw, Indiana, Longfellow was a notable Indiana high school coach for the Leesburg Blue Blazers, the Nappanee Bulldogs, and the Hartford City Airedales. However, his greatest success came with the Elkhart Blazers. All told, his teams won over 375&nbsp;games and 24 state tourney titles in 19&nbsp;years of coaching; two of his best players were the Brothers Patanelli, Matt Patanelli and Joe Patanelli.

He moved to Indiana State University, replacing the legendary John Wooden. In his first season, he led the Sycamores to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, where they finished 4th. In 1950, the Sycamores won the NAIA National Title. Based on their finish, the eligible (those returning for the next season) Sycamores and Coach Longfellow were invited to represent the United States in the 1951 Pan-American Games. Longfellow served as co-head coach and led the American squad to the gold medal, the first of many basketball gold medals in the Pan-American Games for the USA National Team.

While at Indiana State, he coached some of their most successful players: Duane Klueh, Dick Atha, Don McDonald, Sam Richardson, Lenny Rzeszewski, and Bob Royer. He is currently tied (with Glenn M. Curtis in 4th place in career coaching victories; Curtis does lead in winning percentage (73.1% to 65.6%). Stress-related heart problems led to his retirement from coaching early in the 1954–55 season; he remained as the Athletic Director until he retired from the university in 1959.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://gosycamores.com/hof.aspx?hof=14 | title=John L. Longfellow (1984) - Hall of Fame}}</ref>

He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1960;<ref name="naiahonors">{{cite web|url=http://www.naiahonors.com/hall-of-fame|title=Hall of Fame - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|publisher=naiahonors.com|accessdate=January 27, 2014}}</ref> the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1967; the Indiana State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.<ref name="gosycamores.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.gosycamores.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15200&ATCLID=1549780|title=Indiana State University Athletics Hall Of Fame Members - GoSycamores.com : Official Web Site of Indiana State Athletics|publisher=gosycamores.com|accessdate=January 27, 2014}}</ref> In 2000, his 1949-50 NAIA National Title Team was inducted into the Indiana State University Hall of Fame.<ref name="gosycamores.com"/>

==Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason= | poll = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Indiana State Sycamores | conference = Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | startyear = 1948 | endyear = 1950 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1948–49 | name = Indiana State | overall = 24–8 | conference = 7–1 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NAIA National Semifinals }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1949–50 | name = Indiana State | overall = 27–8 | conference = 7–2 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NAIA Champions }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Indiana State Sycamores | conference = Indiana Collegiate Conference | startyear = 1950 | endyear = 1954 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1950–51 | name = Indiana State | overall = 15–10 | conference = 8–4 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1951–52 | name = Indiana State | overall = 19–10 | conference = 7–5 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NAIA Second Round }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1952–53 | name = Indiana State | overall = 23–8 | conference = 8–4 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NAIA Semifinals }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1953–54 | name = Indiana State | overall = 12–15 | conference = 5–7 | confstanding = | postseason = NAIA First Round }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1954–55 | name = Indiana State | overall = 2–5 | conference = 1–1 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Indiana State | overall = 122–64 (.656) | confrecord = 43–24 (.642) }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = 122–64 (.656) }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Indiana State Sycamores athletic director navbox}} {{Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball coach navbox}} {{United States Men Basketball Squad 1951 Pan American Games}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Longfellow, John L.}} Category:1901 births Category:1977 deaths Category:American men's basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball coaches from Indiana Category:Basketball players from Indiana Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Category:High school basketball coaches in Indiana Category:Indiana State Sycamores athletic directors Category:Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball coaches Category:Manchester Spartans men's basketball players Category:People from Warsaw, Indiana Category:20th-century American people